Fireside Chats with
Ron across the Years
Anne Green
Actually, we didn’t have any fireside
chats This could be a very short talk
Also, most chats were
confidential so I can’t
talk about them either
Ron - an original thinker
!   AT Users Committee & CSIRO
!   IAU – Sydney & Prague
!   Science for all
!   AAL
AT Users Committee &
CSIRO
!   ATUC presentation to Director – he listened. Did we give
him the answers he wanted? Always thoughtful comments &
provocative suggestions
!   As ATUC Chair for 6 years – I enjoyed immensely the
interactions & the Director’s Report
!   Guided us to support SKA – ALMA was secondary. Why?
!   Then there was the weekend away for personal development
and networking to Robertson in the Southern Highlands,
NSW
Myers Briggs personality types
Ron – the introvert innovator
John Brooks & I – the organiser, facilitator
Myers Briggs Personalities
Myers Briggs Personalities
IAU 2003 - Sydney
!   Women in Astronomy WG of the Executive
!   Huge support & encouragement from the President
IAU 2006 - Prague
A hornet’s nest was stirred up
Science for All & me
!   Several papers as co-authors on HIPASS Survey, HII
regions, polarisation – a great collaboration
!   Could be caustic in seminars with those who should
know better – gentle on students and those relearning
the ropes and their astrophysics
!   Ron thinks in Fourier space – deep understanding of
interferometry & imaging
AAL discussions
!   Amazing breadth of understanding & connections
!   Thinks ahead of the consequences (must be a good
chess player)
!   Robust comments but always polite (even when he
loses his temper)
The Ron SWOT Analysis
!   STRENGTHS
!   WEAKNESSES
!   Very creative
!   Forgetful
!   Wide & varied knowledge
!   Easily distracted
!   Inspirational leader
!   Rather disorganised
!   OPPPORTUNITIES
!   THREATS
!   Talent to teach us all
!   Might decide to really
!   Adds value to all
conversations
retire
An innovative polymath
!   Deep understanding of science, radio astronomy
techniques and the politics of science
!   Truly innovative & creative in research ideas
!   Generous and caring of students and colleagues
!   A real pleasure to work with
!   Still haven’t finished our conversations …..